


Money Can Buy Love, Actually

by KalluraIcedCoffee



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Forever Rosegold, Opposites Attract, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 08:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17784233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KalluraIcedCoffee/pseuds/KalluraIcedCoffee
Summary: Allura gets cold feet volunteering for the school’s charity Valentine’s date auction but it’s too late to back out now. Keith and his cash come to the rescue.





	Money Can Buy Love, Actually

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day babes <3

Keith could be a bit of an introvert, especially on weeks like this where the school had lost its mind in celebration of Valentine’s Day. He couldn’t walk down a single hallway that wasn’t dripping in pinks and reds and infested with hearts. Student council reps sat at a decked out tables during lunch selling flower grams. Banners draped near every entrance advertised the big dance that upcoming weekend.

He was irritated by all the fanfare. He didn’t want to think about crushes or love or relationships (especially cause he had one but not the other two). He just wanted to sit here alone on the roof of the science building and eat his lunch in silence. Peace and quiet, however, became a fleeting dream as the door to the stairwell slammed open. A cheerleader came tumbling out, short of breath, before quickly shutting the door and putting her body up against it like a barricade.

His brow arched as he recognized her immediately, couldn’t forget her if he tried. Her grey, orange and gold Garrison cheerleading uniform was in crisp pristine condition, her hair half up half down cutely curled and topped off with the obnoxiously large gold bow they made the girls wear when there was a game or rally.

She still hadn’t noticed him when the door pounded and inched open but her body pushed it back shut.

“Allura open the door, you can’t run forever!” A muffled male voice could be heard on the other end.

“I can try!” She yelled back.

“Allura c’mon this is ridiculous. You can’t back out now, the auction is in an hour! We don’t have time to wrangle up anyone else!”

“Get Romelle! She’s pretty and blonde. People love blondes!”

“Excuse you that blonde has a boyfriend!” A different, perturbed male voice said.

“I won’t do it!”

“It’s for charity, don’t you care about the kids?”

“To hell with the kids!”

“Allura Fala Altea if you don’t open this damn door.”

“How dare you” she growled, hating whenever someone used her full name in the same judgmental tone as her mother.

“Open the door!” the voice demanded.

The shoving became more persistent and Allura looked around in a panic, finally realizing she wasn’t alone. She gasped in surprise, not only because she’d prefer not to have had a witness to that entire exchange, but also because she knew his face instantaneously.

“Hi,” she flashed a smile as her body lurched back and forth, “I know you probably don’t remember me bu-”

“You’re in my Math class” Keith responded curtly, cutting her off.

“Oh heh yes ok all right good. Um, is there any other way off this roof other than this door?”

“Afraid not.”

“Shhhhit!” She squeaked out before the door finally gave way and she stumbled forward, nearly falling over.

She straightened herself up and held her hands out to keep them back.

“Lance back off!” She warned.

“Allura we’ve been planning this thing for months and you agreed to do it so you’re gonna get your happy ass up there and smile and earn some money for the goddamn children’s hospital!” The tall lanky brunette looked frazzled and at the end of his rope, clutching a clipboard in his hand.

“What if I just gave you the money myself?” Allura grinned and nodded in her attempt to compromise.

Lance sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Hunk, get her.”

The larger stockier boy of the two rolled up the sleeves on his varsity football jacket and with sympathy in his eyes snatched her up and threw her over his shoulder. She squealed and pounded her fists into his back.

“This is kidnapping! Entrapment!” She wailed as he carried down the stairs.

“That’s not exactly what that second word means honey.” Lance patted her head as he followed.

Keith just sat there, blinking, unsure whether he should have gotten up and actually helped. All the sudden yelling and commotion sort of froze him in place. Either way, it was too late now. He checked his watch and packed up his things.

Sure enough in an hour’s time Keith sat in a packed gym filled with his fellow seniors. He should have skipped, but he had a nasty little habit of doing that a lot so the teachers now watched him like a hawk. He slumped in his chair with his arms crossed, brooding before someone slipped into the seat he’d been saving with his hoodie he’d set there as a place holder.

“Thanks.” Pidge nudged him and adjusted her ponytail. “Has it started yet?”

“No, about to though.”

“Excellent!”

“How are you excited for this?”

“Watching some poor saps put up for auction, forced to go out with the highest paying loser desperate for a date? I wouldn’t miss it!”

Keith chuckled.

“You’re sick.”

“Just easily entertained.” She shrugged.

The chatter of the room was soon interrupted by Lance stepping out, microphone in hand, onto a stage that had been decorated like the set of some 70’s style dating game that cupid himself had puked all over. The students cheered for him, being the senior class president and MC of the event. He introduced himself, although he needed no introduction and began to talk about the date auction and charity they were raising money for.

“Now let’s meet our lovely volunteers shall we? Let’s hear it for them!”

He swept his hand out and a bunch of students filed out on stage, Allura among them. They were some of the more popular students at the school.

“How come he isn’t up for auction?” Pidge mumbled, staring at the man with the mic.

“Are you serious? Lance McClain?”

“What? A girl can look, can’t she?”

“I didn’t realize you were into guys like that.”

Pidge didn’t dignify his comment with a reply. She just rolled her eyes and waved him off.

The auction began and sure enough it was the exact sort of amusing shit show Keith and Pidge thought it would be. Pidge nearly died laughing watching a bunch of girls nearly tear each other apart trying to win a date with the quiet and handsome Ryan Kinkade or the drama that ensued when newly single Nyma Beezer stepped onto the stage to the dismay of her ex boyfriend Rolo and he spent all his money trying to get her back.

When the two walked off stage, practically, inhaling each other’s faces, Lance returned with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head.

“Who says romance is dead eh?!” He smiled with wide anxious eyes before quickly moving on. “Well let’s bring out our next contestant! The girl who brings the cheer, the purveyor of pom poms, Allura Altea!”

The crowd hollered as she was practically shoved out from behind a curtain. Her scowl immediately transformed into a sugary sweet grin as she waved and walked to the center of the stage.

“So Allura, tell everyone what you look for in a perfect date.”

“I suppose I just want someone who’s kind and considerate, um, who likes music, someone I can sit quietly and talk with.” She timidly wrung her hands in front of her.

“Well you heard it here first folks and if it sounds like you fit the bill, get your wallets out and let’s start the bidding at five dollars!”

“Five!” Someone yelled out from the back of the room.

“We got our first bid at five dollars do I hear ten?”

“20!” a familiar voice called from nearby.

Keith turned around and narrowed his gaze on James Griffin high-fiving his friend while others hyped him up. He loathed that guy, irritating and smug, thinking he was some sort of god because he could hit a ball with a stick.

“Whew 20! Do I hear 25?” Lance egged on the crowd.

“25!”

“30!” James bellowed.

Keith looked forward at the stage and every time James upped the ante Allura seemed to cringe just ever so slightly. Maybe he was reading too much into it, or maybe he just wanted to believe Allura hated James as much as he did. To be fair, he had witnessed James trying to ask her out multiple times previously and each time she was super busy washing her hair or cheer practice or her grandmother had died for the eighth time that year and she needed to attend the funeral.

It was now up to $75 and Griffin was not backing down.

“80!” Another suitor announced.

“100 dollars!” James roared.

The crowd whistled and whooped. The other man who had been in the back and forth war plopped down in his chair with a defeated face.

“Wow $100! Any other takers?”

The room piped down. Keith stared at Allura whose eyes were now glued to the floor, not appearing the least bit pleased. Something hot and tickling bubbled in Keith’s stomach. The idea of James winning a date with Allura was bothering him more than it should. It wasn’t like he and Allura were friends. They hardly talked outside of class. Occasionally she’d smile and wave in the hallway. So what if she was beautiful and nice and let him borrow her notes all those times he dipped out instead of actually showing up to fourth period. And who cares if her laugh was melodic and the sun always seemed to find her face when she tucked her hair behind her ear. This was about James Griffin being a smarmy little shit and nothing would make his day more than sticking it to him.

“Going once,” Lance started, “Going twice, so-”

“$300!” Keith blurted out as he stood up, heart racing.

There was a collective gasp that ripped through the crowd. Allura’s head jolted up as her eyes went wide and her breath hitched. Pidge turned to Keith and her mouth fell open.

“Holy shiiii- uh hehe I mean wow!” Lance censored himself. “Can anyone top $300?”

Keith turned and looked at James closing his gaping mouth long enough to turn it into an ugly frown. He didn’t have it and his friends didn’t have enough to cover him. Keith flashed him a smirk and turned around.

“Going once, going twice…Allura Altea say hello to your Valentine Keith Kogane!”

The students clapped and hushed whispers fluttered about. Keith sat and his expression changed from victorious arrogance to baffled fear. Allura was ushered offstage and the next person was brought out.

“What the hell was that?!” Pidge hissed, shaking his shoulder.

“Uh…I’m not sure. It just sort of happened” he muttered back.

“You just sort of bid on a cheerleader for 300 damn dollars?”

“I don’t wanna talk about this right now!” He buried his head in his hand.

When the rally ended everyone who had won their bids were summoned behind the stage to pay up and meet with their dates. Keith winced taking the money out of his wallet and handing it to Lance when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to come face to face with those blue eyes.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” He slipped his wallet in his back pocket and crossed his arms defensively.

“I just, what you did, thank you. The hospital will be really grateful I’m sure and to be honest I really didn’t want to go with…” She let herself trail off.

“No problem. That guy’s a dick.”

Allura burst into laughter before clamping her hand over her mouth. She cleared her throat and tried not to laugh again. This made Keith smile.

“So as your Valentine’s date is there anything in particular you wanted to do tomorrow?

“Uh, we really don’t have to go on a date. You seemed pretty against it earlier. I just wanted to help you out.”

Her face fell and she bit down on her lower lip.

“Oh. I mean, that’s a lot of money spent just to come to my rescue. I don’t mind if you wanted to do something. It’s Valentine’s Day after all.”

His mind reeled. He was giving her an out but she wasn’t taking it. Why wasn’t she taking it? Maybe she was just being nice? Taking pity on him?

“Sure.”

“Great! Uh, here’s my number.” She handed him a slip of paper. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“Mhm.”

She smiled, nodded and hurriedly walked off, hair bouncing as she went. He ran his hand through his hair as he watched her go wondering what he’d gotten himself into.

The next evening Allura’s car pulled into the small parking lot of Kogane Autobody where Keith had suggested they meet. She turned off the ignition and sat, waiting for her heart to stop thumping at the speed of light. She pulled down her driver side overhead mirror and looked at her face again, making sure nothing about her hair or makeup was out of place. She looked down at her herself, at her yellow cropped sweater and matching yellow plaid pleated skirt. She’d changed a million times before deciding on that outfit and even then she worried if she looked foolish or was doing too much. Keith wasn’t like the other guys in the circles she ran with at school and she’d certainly never seen him with girls that looked like her. It also didn’t help he had claimed he only bid on her to keep James at bay and was perfectly fine skipping the date.

She sighed and looked at the item in her passenger seat, took a deep breath, grabbed it and exited the vehicle.

As she approached the open garage one by one the men stopped what they were doing and stood up to stare at her. They were surprised and confused to see a young woman there, as prettily dressed up as she was holding a bouquet of roses in her hands.

“Is Keith here?” She managed to squeak out, crinkling the paper the flowers were wrapped in anxiously.

“Sure, I’ll go get him.” An older man with salt and pepper hair and beard with “Kolivan” on his tag gave her a once over before walking toward the back and calling his name.

Keith appeared in a dirty dark grey open jumpsuit with a white tank peeking out underneath. His hair was pulled back in a haphazard low bun and he was wiping his hands clean. The second Allura laid eyes on him her mouth gradually fell open and her stomach fluttered. The second Keith saw her, and then the flowers, his cheeks flushed the loveliest shade of deep pink.

The men in the garage chuckled and whistled and Keith quickly whipped around to glare and mouth obscenities.

“A-Are those for m-me?” He stuttered, taking the roses from her.

“Mhm. I figured it was the least I could do as your date. I hope you don’t think it’s weird, getting flowers.”

“No! No, it’s great, thanks. You, you look nice, better than nice, great actually.” He continued to stumble over his words.

“Thanks!” She beamed, trying not to smile too wide.

“Uh I’ll just go get changed if you don’t mind waiting a little.”

Keith turned and stopped and thought about leaving her standing alone with his coworkers who would probably tear him apart and tell her all sorts of embarrassing things in his absence.

“On second thought you better come with me.”

Keith took her by the hand and led her toward the side of the building and up some stairs.

“You live above the shop?”

“Uh huh. My dad helped build this place before I was born.”

As soon as Keith walked in the door, his mother was coming out of the kitchen, running her hands down the front of her apron.

“Oh! I didn’t realize she was meeting you here!”

“Uh yeah sorry. Mom this is Allura, Allura this is my mom Krolia.”

Krolia approached and held out her hand.

“Oh you don’t need to tell me her name you talk about her so much I know it by heart.”

Both Keith and Allura’s eyes went wide but for entirely different reasons.

“He, he talks about me?”

“Mom can you go put these in water?!” Keith quickly shoved the flowers in her arms and tried to push her back into the kitchen.

Allura stood there while they disappeared out of sight, squabbling in hushed tones. She stifled a giggle when Keith quickly returned.

“I’ll be quick I promise, don’t let her talk your ear off.” Keith warned before making a beeline for his room and closing the door.

Krolia reappeared and invited her into the kitchen dining area. She poured Allura a glass of juice and decided that instead of humiliating her son by revealing more than Keith clearly wanted her to know, she’d ask Allura about the date auction and all the details from her perspective. Allura was happy to go over it at length, including all the behind the scenes dirt.

“I’m surprised Keith bid on me. Honestly I didn’t think he even knew I existed.”

“Oh? From what I hear you’re a very popular girl.” Krolia looked back at Allura over her shoulder as she stirred something in a saucepan.

“I’m a cheerleader, it sort of just comes with it. But Keith…he’s…cool and interesting I think. I mean I don’t know him that well, we have a class together, but he seems like it. Ah I sound silly, I’m sorry.” Allura chuckled and patted her cheeks.

Krolia smiled and grabbed a few bottles from the spice rack.

“It’s not silly. I think he’s more aware of you than you think he is and that’s all I’ll say.” Krolia gave her a wink and went back to cooking.

“Behaving in here?” Keith stood in the doorway, showered and changed.

“Of course not” Krolia quipped. “You look handsome. Don’t you agree Allura?”

Allura turned to see him in a white tee, ripped blue jeans, leather jacket and flannel tied around his waist. His hair looked messy but in a purposeful way. Allura found herself trying to control her facial expression.

“Yes, very handsome.”

They looked at each other a bit longer than they should have before he remembered his mother was also in the room.

“Ready to go?”

“Mhm!” Allura hopped up out of the chair and grabbed her purse, accompanying him to the door.

“Don’t forget your curfew!” Krolia called out after them.

Allura followed Keith down the stairs and to his bike.

“I’ll drive. Just let me know where we’re going.” Allura jingled her keys.

“Uh sure, been to Kerberos before?”

“No, just direct me.”

He nodded and got in the car, noting that it was quite a nice sports car for a girl her age to have and clearly her family had money.

“They’re gonna eat us alive when we roll up in this” Keith quipped.

“Hmm?”

“Nothing, let’s just go.”

When they arrive she parked across the street, at his instruction, and they walked to the venue.

“Do me a favor?” Keith stopped her before they got too close. He shuffled his leather jacket off his shoulders. “Put this on.”

She furrowed her brow suspiciously.

“Look it’s a different vibe in there. You’ll stick out less.”

Allura looked down at her outfit.

“Is it that bad?”

“No you look ho- you look nice, it’s just…”

“Too preppy?”

“A little.”

She nodded and took his jacket and slipped it on, noting how warm and worn in it felt, how his scent was soaked into it. She used her hands to pull her hair away and fluff it.

“Better?”

He blinked, gawked. She looked good in it.

“Yeah” he mumbled and ushered her inside the club.

The man at the door put bright green bands on their wrists making it impossible for them to even look in the direction of the bar. Allura received some stares as it appeared the dress code was black and more black and she clearly didn’t get the memo. She moved closer to Keith. He placed a hand on her back and helped move her through the crowd toward the front near the stage.

“I hope you don’t mind coming here, my friend’s band is playing tonight.”

“No problem. It sounds fun!”

“Want a water?”

“That would be great thanks!”

Keith left her there after she assured him a million times she’d be ok. As he finished paying and stuffed the water bottles under his arm he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Funny seeing you here.”

Keith’s expression turned to stone.

“I’m here for Shiro, that’s it.”

“I see you came with your little friend. Having fun on your Barbie dream date?” She twirled her short violet hair in her fingers absentmindedly.

“Is there a point to all this Acxa?”

“It’s just funny. That stunt at the auction at school yesterday, bringing her here.”

Keith rolled his eyes.

“What’s funny is you still giving a shit what I do when your boyfriend’s about to go any minute. Shouldn’t you go be a good groupie?”

Acxa glowered and her mouth curled into a scowl. She turned on her heel to leave and nearly collided with Allura.

“Sorry, you didn’t come back for a while and I just wanted to see if everything was ok.”

Allura eyed their expressions, felt a thick tension she could cut with a knife. She decided to be a good little diplomat.

“Hi, I’m Allura.” She held out her hand.

Acxa glanced down at it like a queen being forced to touch peasants and kept her arms crossed.

“Acxa.”

“Friend of Keith’s?” Allura slowly pulled her hand back.

Acxa chuckled. Keith winced.

“Something like that. Well enjoy the show.”

She passed her, lightly bumping her shoulder on the way.

“Not a friend?” Allura pouted.

“Ex girlfriend.” Keith sighed and passed her a bottle.

“Oh…” Allura’s heart panged briefly.

“Dumped me for the bassist.”

“Oh” Allura said more pronounced. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Let’s go.”

They made their way back to the stage, closer to Acxa than they would have liked. The MC introduced the band, the crowd applauded and four men stepped out onto the stage.

“That one there is my friend Shiro.” Keith pointed to the lead singer as he slung a guitar over his shoulder.

“Ah, he’s cute” Allura said playfully.

“Easy there, dunno if I can stand getting left for yet another guy in this band.” He nudged her.

“Sorry. Which one is the enemy.” Allura leaned in.

“The pretty boy with the long white hair.”

Allura looked at him and shrugged.

“He’s ok.”

“You don’t have to lie to spare my feelings.”

“I’m not. He’s nice looking but not my type.”

“Whew.” He jokingly wiped his forehead. “Well then who is your type?” he asked in a feigned casualness.

Allura looked at him with a smirk and went to open her mouth when she was interrupted by the lead singer speaking into the mic.

“Hey I’m Shiro and we’re the Kuron Project, thanks for coming out tonight.”

The crowd cheered and when the applause died down they began playing right away, Shiro not being much of a pre-show hype man. Keith bobbed his head to the music, stealing glances at Allura swaying to the music, relieved that she appeared to be enjoying herself. They stayed through the entire set.

“What did you think?” Keith yelled in her ear trying to compete with the clapping and chatter when the band left the stage.

“They’re so good! Really talented!”

“Yeah I’m hoping to play with them soon. I’m practicing guitar right now.”

“Really?!”

The way her face lit up made him blush. Her smile was lethal.

“Yeah…” He chuckled and scratched at the nape of his neck. “Hey wanna get out of here?”

“Now? Don’t you wanna wait to talk to your friends?”

“Nah, I can see them later. It’d be nice if we could just go somewhere quiet, catch a bite or something.”

“I’d like that.”

He took her hand and briskly pulled her through the crowd and out the door into the cold.

“Do you want your jacket back?” she asked.

They were still holding hands as they crossed the street.

“Nah you can keep wearing it.”

He intertwined his fingers with hers. She noticed and started breathing quickly.

“Keith…can we talk for a second?” Her tone shifted to something more solemn.

They were at her car now in the quiet dark lot and she pulled out of his grasp to face him.

“Did you really bid on me just because you knew I didn’t want to go with James?”

Keith seemed caught off guard by the question and he looked around, feeling flustered.

“Well…charity…I mean, it’s for a good cause.”

“And that’s it?”

He paced a bit and ran his hand through his hair, laughed.

“No, but…well shit you already know by now don’t you?” He shoved his hands in his pockets and kicked the asphalt.

Now it was her turn to be flustered. He looked up, locked eyes with her.

“I’m not sure I do” she replied softly.

That was met with silence.

“You didn’t finish answering my question.” He said suddenly out of the blue.

“Huh?”

“What’s your type? What kind of guy do you like?”

Allura looked at her black ankle boots, fiddled with the sleeves of Keith’s jacket. Then took a deep breath and let it out.

“I like the guy I came here with.”

His body flinched then seemed to relax as if relieved.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, a lot actually.”

Keith nodded, nibbled his lower lip then lunged, catching her up in his arms and into a kiss. She squeaked then eased into him, whimpering softly against his lips as he backed her into her car.

“Rich spoiled assholes” he muttered when he finally came up for air.

“Excuse me?”

“Sophmore year, we had English together and we were reading The Great Gatsby and you told Mr. Smythe it was hard to get through because all the main characters were rich spoiled assholes and you got in trouble and that’s when I realized I had a crush on you. But I didn't think it was ever gonna happen so I kinda moved on.” Keith rambled.

Allura laughed and gently slapped his arm.

“Sophmore year? That’s a long time not to tell someone you like them.”

“I spent $300 just to spend some time with you, consider that my confession.”

She smiled and kissed him again.

“That really was too much.”

“I know, I panicked.”

She traced her fingers over his lips before she was distracted by her grumbling stomach.

“Food?” Keith smirked.

“Yes please.”

He let her go and walked around to the passenger side of the car.

“Oh, Allura?”

“Yes?”

“Uh that Valentine’s dance thing this weekend. Could be fun to go for a little bit.”

“Really? You don’t seem like the dance type. In fact, I’ve never seen you at one.”

“Yeah, but it might be cool to check it out…together.”

Allura could hardly curb the grin on her face as she turned the key in the lock and opened her door.

“I’d love to.”


End file.
